Different Worlds
by Alycia.thg
Summary: I am alone, living in the woods and surviving off the bare minimum. I can't trust anyone especially when the school teacher Peeta enters my life. He can't know i'm homeless and dying. He can't know about my past and everything that has happened. We are from different worlds, it can never happen.
1. Prologue

**Summary **

**I am alone, living in the woods and surviving off the bare minimum. I can't trust anyone especially when the school teacher Peeta enters my life. He can't know i'm homeless and dying. He can't know about my past and everything that has happened. We are from different worlds, it can never happen. **

Prologue

"Out!" A woman's voice screamed at me and I quickly replaced the lid to the garbage can where I had been looking for scrap food. The rain is making it hard to see the woman but the warm glow that is seeping out of the bakery windows and door gives me enough light to see a strict looking woman stalking over to me.

"Did you not hear me? I said get out" she yells at me and I stumble backwards, dropping the torn bag of my little sister Prims baby clothes. I had been trying to sell them in the hope to recieve some money or even something like a ball of yarn or a slice of stale bread. The woman stalks up to me and before I can do anything she slaps me hard across the face "filthy seam rat!" She screams as the impact of her slap causes me to fall to the ground.

I hear a snap as my wrist takes all my weight when I fall and land in the mud, rain pouring down my face and continuing to soak my clothes. The woman stalks back off into the bakery. I hold my wrist limply in my other hand as I sit in the mud and I do what any other 8 year old girl who had broken her wrist would do. I cry, I cry for my mother.

But I know that even though my mother is a healer, she won't come help me. This morning she was extremely tired and she wouldn't wake up. Daddy had died a few years ago from an explosion in the mines and I know that Prim is very sick. I hear footsteps and I look up to see the baker walking through the rain towards me. He crouches down infront of me and I look up at him through my tears.

"Hey little one" he says, his voice much nicer than the woman's. "Its alright, I won't hurt you" he says as he scoops me up into his arms and carries me inside the bakery. The warmth is immediate, you wouldn't need heaters here with all the ovens.

The baker carries me through a door and he places me on a chair at an old wooden table. He takes my wrist and looks at it before leaving and coming back with a first-aid kit. As he is bandaging my hand I catch sight of a little boy who looks abit older than me. I see his head poke around the corner, his blue eyes blaze with confusion and curiosity. His blond curly hair sweeps unruly into his eyes.

Before I have even gotten a real chance to study him he is gone again. I look down just as the baker is finishing my wrist. "Thank you" I say and he nods "your welcome. Are you right to get home?" He asks and I nod my head. I think about telling him how mother won't wake up but I decide against it. The baker doesn't need to know that.

And that stormy day was the day I lost both my parents. My mother had died as I soon found out when a scary looking woman came to our door and demanded Prim and I go with her at once. That was how we ended up in an orphanage.

It was horrible there, the way they treated us, like we were all trash. When my sister was 8 years old and I was 12, she died of some disease that couldn't be controlled. So that was the last of my family for me. I had no one. My sister was like my best friend and now she was gone too. I'm not sure what the point of living anymore is. I have no one left. No one that cares about me anymore and I am shattered. But I know that I have to keep living, I have to do that for my sister and parents. I'm the last Everdeen left and I don't know if my small body can cope with such a big thing.

But I have to. For them. Not for anyone else because there's no one left that cares about me. I don't need them anyway. I don't need friends, I have family even if they aren't here physically.

Once I had reached the age of 18 the orphanage kicked me out, saying I was old enough to get a job and live by myself. I had tried, I really had but no one wanted to hire me and without a job I had no money or home, it looked like I was going to die too. I had all of my possessions in one backpack. It contained a ratty blanket, a photo of my family when they were all alive. My a letter my sister wrote to me when she was sick and couldn't talk. And a locket. My mothers locket which she had given me. It was a family locket which had been passed down for generations. It was one of the things I knew I needed to keep safe forever. I never took it off.

Eventually after many days of searching I found an old bar run by a drunk man, Haymitch. He gave me a job and the pay isn't much but it's enough to get me by if I ration it.

So that's how I got here. Living in the woods and eating the bare minimum a day, trying to save the little money I have so that I can eventually use it for something I know I will desperatly need. I can't stand being homeless, Living in the freezing woods. But at least it is sometimes better than the orphanage. I feel safe in the woods. Although my skinny figure needs more food than i'm getting, and showering in the lake isn't the most hygienic thing to do. It's what I have to do to survive. Losing my family was the worst thing that could have happened to me. And now, I don't trust anyone. I won't let anyone know about my situation. This is my life.

**ok so I hope you guys all liked the prologue! I have posted this story on wattpad and my username on that is staywithme_always. this is the first story i've posted on , but if you wish to read several of my other stories go check out my wattpad account! I have quiet a few stories on there :D**

**~ Alycia**


	2. Chapter 1

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am 18 years old (nearly 19) and I am homeless. I live in the woods and I have very little money from working at the old drunks bar. My family is gone, I am alone and I have nobody left that loves me. I know I need love but i'm scared, I can't trust anyone and I'm surviving just fine by myself.

The winter cold snow bites at my skin as I shiver and try to cover myself with the ratty old blanket. The sun is nearly fully risen and I know that I'll be able to go into town to get some food. I haven't eaten in nearly four days and my stomach is curling and rumbling painfully. I have saved up just enough money so that I can buy my food with a little money to spare.

Not being able to stand the cold any longer I fold up the thin blanket and place it in the old backpack. I slowly climb down the tree I have made my home. And then struggle to walk through the snow along the unmade path I have taken so many times when I leave the woods. After about 20 minutes I finally make it to the edge where the trees meet the road. I walk down the road towards town.

I always go to town early so that not many people see me. I can't have anyone know that i'm homeless. I don't want to have to deal with the shame or pity.

I walk into the grocery store and walk down to where I know bread is. Most people buy their bread from the bakery because apparently it's the best bread you will ever get. I know, can smell the sweet scenes of baking bread and treats every time I walk past the bakery. But I can't afford to go in there. It's too expensive and also I don't want the bakers wife to see me. I can still remember the day 9 years ago when she broke my arm. I never want to see her again.

I pick out a bag which contains four bread rolls. They are the cheapest brand there and probably taste like cardboard but I don't care. Food is food. I walk up to the register and don't look the cashier in the eye as I haNd him the bag. I try to hide my dirty hands and am suddenly realizing that I should have washed my clothes and bathed in the lake before coming out. My clothes are covered in dirty stains and my hair probably looks like a birds nest.

I hand the cashier the money and run out of there as fast as I can. Nobody can see me. That is my only thought as I run down the road to the only place where I feel safe. The woods are my safe haven. I sprint through the trees, constantly tripping and slipping on the snow. Once I reach my tree I sit down in the snow at the bottom of it; not even caring that my pants will get wet. I open the bag and pull out one roll.

I remember to eat it slowly as last time I got sick for a week because I ate the food too fast and my stomach wasn't used to that much food. I rip off small chunks of the bread. and eat it as quick as I will allow. Once finished I have to force myself not to eat the other three rolls, I need them to last me. I put the remaining rolls in my bag and then head down to the lake.

Im lucky it hasn't frozen over yet but I know that I will need to find a new source of water soon since the lake will eventually be nothing but ice.

I dip my hand in the water and immediatly pull it back, hissing as the icy water stings my hand. Slowly I unbraid my hair and then bend over the edge of the lake, dipping just my hair into the water as I try my best to scrub it clean. Once finished I tie it in a messy bun on the top of my head so that it doesn't drip everywhere.

Glancing around to make sure nobody is around, I pull my clothes off and wash them in the water. The icy particles digging into my hands. I lay my clothes on a nearby rock and then close my eyes as I prepare for the worst. I know I shouldn't go in the lake because I will most deffinitly get sick from the cold. But I have to stay clean, I can't stand the stares that people give me.

I try to make it as quick as I can as I wade into the water. Tears spring into my eyes it's that cold but I just keep going as I quickly rub my hands over my arms and legs to remove as much dirt as I can.

As soon as im done I race out of the water and pull the thin blanket out of my bag, wrapping it tightly around me as I shiver uncontrollably. My teeth chatter as I pull the blanket tightly around me. And I groan at the though of having to wait for my clothes to dry.

I sit shivering on a rock while my clothes dry on the rocks for a hour or two just waiting for my clothes. Eventually they are dry enough for me to wear as I pull on the old pair of pants and t-shirt with the jumper that has no warmth left in it.

Slowly I walk back to my tree, as I climb up the branches and settle myself down. My stomach grumbling as it wasn't satisfied with one bread roll. And I almost cry when it starts to rain, because I know for sure now im going to get sick. I cant afford to get sick as I have no money. That's how my mother died.

I just need to stay brave and strong. I am a strong girl and I know that I can try and fight off whatever sickness the cold trys to give me. I hope at least. I remember that time last year when I first started living in the woods. It was the middle of winter. My body wasn't used to such harsh conditions and I got deathly sick. So sick I was afraid I would die. But somehow my body started to cope and I pulled through. I just hope this winter I don't get that sick again.

_  
><strong>So this is just the start. Peeta will be introdroduced next chapter or maybe the one after :) thank you to everyone who had started reading this and it would be good if you could spread the word on it :)<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

I wake up the next morning and my throat is feeling scratchy and I mentally groan when realize that I am infact going to get sick. I just hope its not as sick as last time. I nearly died last time. The snow has settles all over me and I am shivering. I have a shift at Haymitch's bar this morning which is the worst time because no one comes into a bar in the morning so it goes by so slow.

I climb down from my tree and walk out of the woods and along the road that leads to town. I make it and as the sun is barely rising I have plently off time to get into work. With the little amount I get paid its probably not even worth having this job but its my only source of money right now. I just pray its not for the rest of my life.

I walk in and see haymitch sitting at one of the tables, already surprising drunk, or more likely hung over from yesterday. "Haymitch im here" I announce but he just ignores me like always. Somedays im lucky and I'll get a grunt in return. I walk behind the bar and then I wait.

I wait for hours for someone to come in but of course nobody does. Who wants to go to a bar this early in the morning. I was excited though because today is pay day. Haymitch always pays me in cash since he knows I don't own a bank account or anything. And it's not even that much money that is worth putting in an account.

The day drags on until eventually it ticks past 4:30pm and thats when the customers start coming in. That is however, the time my shift ends. Haymitch stumbles in from the back and hands me $8 this weeks work and I thank him as I stow the money away in my bag.

I decide I don't want to return to the woods just yet as its cold and I spent all my time there. I decide to stop by my old school. There are two schools in this city. There was the town school and the seam school. I went to the seam school. I never had any friends and nobody knew I had no family. Usually I wouldn't go out in public like this but there will be nobody at the school since school hours are over.

I walk down to the seam school and walk through the doors, taking in the sight of the empty corridors. There are flyers and everything up all over the walls.

I walk down the corridor, looking at all the flyers and papers. I don't realize i've reached the flight of down stairs until I am tumbling down them. I land in a pile at the bottom with a huff. I groan as I lift myself up, my ankle giving way as I must have twisted it when I fell.

Unexpectedly, I feel two hands slide under my arms and lift me up from the ground. "Are you ok?" A guy asks and I look up to see a man with blond curly hair that sweeps unruly into his eyes. His eyes were a bright azure blue and I managed to catch myself before I was caught staring. "Yeah i'm fine thanks" I say and I see him smile before I turn around and slowly limp off, my ankle getting better as I walk on it.

"I haven't seen you around before" the man says as he walks to stay with my pace. Why does he want to talk to me? I think to myself. "I don't get seen in a lot of places" I say not glancing at him. "Yeah? What are you doing here then?" He ask curiously and I huff "is it really any of your business?" I ask and he holds his hands up "no not really" he admitts.

"I'm here for the teachers meeting. I teach at the town school but they held the meeting at this school for some reason" he says and I glance at him quickly "I need to know that why?" I say and he shakes his head "i'm just trying to make conversation" he says and I stop walking and turn to face him. "Trust me. You don't want to talk to me. You don't want to be seen with me" I say and he looks at me confused.

"I'll be the judge of that" he says "you only just met me" I point out and he grins "speaking of which I didn't get your name" he says and I roll my eyes. "Too bad your not going to get my name" I say and his face falls "really?" "Yeah" I say as I walk off towards the entrance again.

"Well my names Peeta" he calls out and I turn back to look at him one more time before walking out the door. And as I walk back to my spot in the woods I can't help but think why he would want to talk to me. Did he not notice my ratty clothes?

And his face looked familiar. I can't place where I know it from but I know that its going to bother me until I figure out where I know him from. I cough loudly as the cold bites into my skin. Great, i'm getting sick again. Is this going to happen every winter for as long as i'm living out in the woods? I don't know how long that will be. I know I am dying. I know if I continue the way i'm going now then i'm going to die long before i'm supposed to. Far too soon, I mean look at me. I nearly died last winter, and I pray that this isn't going to be another near death experience.

**So i know its probably kinda boring at the minute but its just starting so bare with me guys! Thats for everyone who has started reading so far!**


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